Lock



LOCK

Filed May l2 1923 Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES y enana PATENT ortica STEPHEN L. MORGAN, 0F SKANEATELES, NEW YORK.

LOCK. i

Application filed may 12, 1923. serian No. 638,607.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN L. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Skaneateles, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Locks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to locks of the permutation type having a plurality of rotatable disks serving as tumblers which release when brought into prearranged relation with certain fixed portions of the lock.v

The object of the invention is to provide a lock of this character which shall be simple and economical in construction, easily operated and reliable.

A further object isy to provide means' whereby the mechanism of the lock is easily Vother objects are attained, to be' hereinaftei described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show vthe lock'as located on the instrument board of an automobile, and adapted to serve in breaking the ignition circuit when in the locked condition and thus prevent unauthorized operation of the'car.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the eXf posed portions of the lock.

Figure 2 is a vertical central section taken on the line 2*-2 in Figure 1, partly in elevation, showing the parts in the unlocked condition.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2,' seen in the direction indicated by the arrows and partly in rear elevation. l

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4 4 in Figure 2 and partly in rear elevation. y

Figure 5 is a vertical section and elevation corresponding to portions of 'Figure 2, showing the parts in the locked condition.

Figure 6 is al plan view of the fixed stud on which the parts are mounted.

Figure 7 is a corresponding viewof a sleeve adapted to slide on the stud.`

Figure 8 is a face view of one of the locking disks alone.

Figure 9 is a face view ofthe'dial by which the disks are brought into the desired relation to unlock.

Similar reference numerals indicate the same parts in all the figures.

On the back. of the instrument board 10 of the' automobile, vis acup-shaped case 11 having a flange 12 by which itis secured to the board by screws. 13 extending into the flange from the front face, that is, the face of the board presented toward the operator.

A centrally located cylindrical stud 14 firmly mountedl on'the back of the case by riveting or otherwise, extends forwardly therein and supports the mechanism of the lock. uThe stud isinclosed in a sleeve 15 arranged to slide longitudinally thereon but held against rotation by a feather or fin'16k fixed on the stud,engaged in a longitudinal slit 17 in the sleeve, and projecting radially beyond its surface. I The finis notched as at 18, 19and 20 to a depth reaching the surv face of the sleeve to pro-vide a series of spaced projections protruding above the sleeve. disks 22, 23 and 24 rotatably mounted thereon Vand adaptedvwhen in coincidence with.

their respective `notches18., 19 and 2O to bev freely rotatable. Each Vhas an internal recess 25 matching the projections 21 of the in,'and all are held on the sleevein proper spaced relation by fixedvwashers 26 carried by the sleeve.` v,

Thus arranged, the disks may be moved to coincide with the notches by sliding the sleeve inwardly in which position they may be rotated and engaged with the n to hold the sleeve against an outward movement, and when turned to present their recesses 25 in alinement with the ,projections 21 of the fin, ypermit the sleeve to slide outwardly on the stud, in the unlocked condition. This outward movement is effected automatically by a helical spring 27 encircling the stud 14 at its base and abutting at one end against the inner end of the sleeve and at the other end against the face of the case 11. The outer end of the sleeve is closed and has a peripheral flange or rim 28 and is provided with a button 29 by which it may be easily thrust inwardly to the locking position.

` The forward end of the sleeve is inclosed by a tubular collar 30' which extends through the plate 31 at the front, secured to the front face olf the instrument4 board 10 y by screws 32 and serving to cover the open- Inclosing the sleeve is a series ofl yso ne p

ing therein corresponding to the interior of` the case.

On the protruding end of the collar 3() is an annular knurled head 33 adapted to be easily grasped by the finger and thumb of the operator in rotating the collar, and the latter s held in place axially on the sleeve between the rim 28 and the forward diskv cated as to strike a similar pin 35 on the outer face of the outer disk 24 and rotate the latter. Similar pins 37 on the faces of the disks 22 and 23 transfer the rotatory movement to those disks in the usual manner as will be understood.

LooselyL mounted on the collar 30 `between the flange 34 and plate 31 is a dial 38 bearing on its outer face figures or letters by which the disks are set to unlock; the dial is held close to the plate 31 by lugs 39 on the latter extending over the peripheral margin of the dial, permitting its rotation while presenting its figures at a window 4() in the-plate 31 through which they may be read. The dial is compelled to rotate with the flange 34 by long arms 41 on the dial extending loosely through holes 42 in the flange, thus permitting the latter to slide toward and from the dial while maintaining connection therewith in all positions.

The lock as shown is arranged to control the ignition system of an automobile; when the sleeve 15 and collar 30 with the disks 22, 23 and 24 are thrust inwardly and the latter engaged in the notches of the fin 16, the ignition circuit is broken and the automobile cannot be operated, and when the sliding parts are moved outwardly by the force of the spring 27 the circuit isagain completed. The switch operated by these sliding movements may be variously constructed; as shown in Figure 2 it comprises a lever 43 pivotally mounted on an insulating block 44- and having an insulated end 45 held in yielding contact with the face of thev innermost washer 26 by a spring 46. The lever carries a knife 47 adapted to enter between the leaves 48 of a xed electrode mounted on an arm 49 secured to the block 44. A rearward movement of the washe-r breaks the contact which is automatically reestablished when the washer again moves forward.

As before stated, the dial may bear any arrangement of letters or figures by which the disks may be set to bring their recesses 25 into alinement with the fin 16 in the kknurled head 33 the required number of times and in alternating directions to pre-k sent the predetermined numbers at the win will be urged forward by the spring 27 to reengage the switch 43 49.

In order to permit the operator to change the combination to numbers of his own selection, eachdisk is provided with a series of tapped holes 50 adapted to receive the screwthreaded ends of the pins 37 to conform to such yselected numbers.

By removing thek screws 32 ,of the plate 31 when the lock is in the unlocked condition, the plate, with the sleeve 15 and its connections may be withdrawn from the stud 14 and removedfrom the casefor resetting the combination or other purpose ydow 40, the sleeve 15 and its connections and again replaced, but it will be noted that position the knurled head 33 ranged to protectthe ignition system of an y automobile, it will be understood that the ylock will serve successfuly in other situa#` tions and for other purposes to which it may be adapted.

1. In a lock ofthe character set forth,

a case, a stud fixed therein and having a' notched iin, a sleeve having an open slit and adapted to slide axially on said stud and to engage said fin, a series of disks rotatably mounted on said sleeve and having recesses adapted in one position-toregister with said -fin and ypermit such sliding movement, a plate covering said case, a collar rotatably mounted on said sleeve to slide therewith,l projecting through said plate and having a head, and means operated by said collar for turning said disks, said head arranged to lie against said plate and hold the latter againstremoval when said sleeve is in the locked condition;y

2. In a ylock of the character set forth, a case, a stud fixed therein andhaving a notched fin, a sleeve having an open slit and adapted to slide axially on said stud and to engage said fin, a series of disks rotatably mounted on said sleeve and having recesses adapted in one position to register with said fin and permit such sliding movement, a plate covering said case, a collar rotatably mounted on said sleeve to slide therewith, projecting through said plate and having a head, a flange on said collar within said case, means on said ange for yturning said disks, a dial rotatably mounted on said collar and means for holding it adjacent said plate, and connecting means from said dial to said flange whereby r0- tatory motion of said flange is communicated to said dial in all positions of said flange.

3. In a lock of the character set forth, a ixedly mounted case, a stud xed therein and held against movement and having a notched iin, a sleeve adapted to slide axially directly on said stud and having an open slit receiving said fin, a series of disks rotatably mounted on said sleeve and arranged to engage the notches of said fin when said sleeve is thrust inwardly to present said disks to such notches, and a spring for thrusting said sleeve outwardly.

4. In a lock of thecharacter set forth, a case closed at the rear, a stud xed therein and having a notched fin, a plate covering the open front of said case, a sleeve extending through said plate and inclosing said stud, arranged to slide axially thereon and having an open slit receiving said fin, a series of disks rotatably mounted on said sleeve and arranged to engage the notches of said fin, a circumferential rim on the outer end of said sleeve, a collar rotatably mounted o-n said sleeve, arranged to slide therewith and extended through said plate, and held against axial movement relatively to said sleeve by said rim, a Hangs on said collar within said case adapted to operate said disks, and ahead on said collar arranged to lie against said plate and hold the latter against removal when said sleeve is in the locked position.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth, I ailix my signature hereto.

STEPHEN L. MORGAN. 

